A Harsh Winter
by O-Shnap
Summary: After Sanae is rescued all she seems is mourn for the dead emperor, but Rikichi is determined to win her heart back.


Disclaimer: Don't own samurai seven, Gonzo does (The company not the muppet although the muppet is kick ass)

PreNote: This story is devided into four sections to indicate changes in time, if ya haven't noticed. Also I don't know if that's how you spell Nobuserei

-------Early Winter----------

Despite being fully awake, I remained in bed and searched my inner most thoughts. I really hadn't done that before I left Kanna. I guess it was because it was a simplier time back then. Farm the rice, hand it over to the Nobuserei and begin again. As long as I did that I would be able to live happily with my wife, Sanae, But then she surrendered herself to the bandits and everything changed. I couldn't stop her-NO! I didn't stop her. I was too afraid to, now she's deeply in love with someone else and wishes nothing more than to die so she can be with him.

I sit up and turn to the other side of the room. Sanae was there on her bed. She still refused to sleep near me. I suppose I can understand that. The tears on her cheek glistened in the sunlight that poured into the room from a small window. Ilet loose a sigh and stood up. I grabbed the sword that leaned against the wall and made my way out, careful as to not wake Sanae. I walked down the dirt road, which was already slowly being consumed by the snow. The village seemed to be deserted this early in the morning. I walked by several homes and through the woods until I reached my destination. It was four burrial mounds with four swords. One mound had no sword and that was who I came to see. I walked up to my deceased friend.

"My friend, Gorobei, I wish you were here," I said bringing the blade to eye level and drew the sword only to quickly sheath it again," Because I need your wise advice more than ever."

I raised the sword in the air and pierced the mound, returning the sword to it's master.

"Rikichi?" A voice said and I turned in response. It was Shichiroji, one of the great samurai who survived. "What are you doing here so early?"

"Paying my respects as you are," The farmer answered. The samurai walked up and sat beside me and bowwed his head. I looked at the ground and avoided the samurai.

"Actually," I began, "I needed his advice, now more then ever."

"Is it about Sanae?"

I nodded.

"Even if the love she feels for the emperor is a fake memory created by brainwashing, it's real to her and that's all that matters."

Tears swell in my eyes and the samurai became a blur. I heard him sigh and felt his shoulder on my back.

"You won her heart once, you can do it again," he said.

I looked up in time to see him walk away and I was left to digest his words.

-------Mid Winter---------

I cleared a small area, beneath a tree, of snow and had dug post holes into the ground. The tree was behind my home and I thought it would be a lovely spot for what I had planned. The winter snow storm had past and it gave me the chance to begin this little surprise for Sanae. I grabbed a hammer and a wooden cylinder post and placed it in one of the four holes I dug earlier. Once I believed that it was at the right position, then I hammered it in before filling the gaps of the hole with soil. A grabbed the next post and was about to repeat the process but I dropped it when a sharp pain hit my abdoman, grabbing at my waist in reflex. It was the wound I recieved from the battle against the bandits a few months ago, yet people still refer to it as the ole 'battle wound,' the village healers say that it will never be entirly healed though.

I fell to my knees as I dropped the post. I realized that my breathing was heavy and sweat was pouring from my skin. My vision began to blur. I forced myself to stand up and coughed into my hand a few times as I leaned against the freashly planted post. I had to slow down or I could pass out, but I also have to hurry because I don't know when Sanae will be back home. I waited like that for a few minutes and continued with my work.

I didn't want to over work myself, so I took breaks every now and then. After I placed the other three post. After I conected them to make a roof. After I made the walls and ceiling. All that was left was to place the name stones.

"What are you doing?" a woman's voice asked. I turned and saw Sanae standing by the house.

"I made this shrine for the emperor and the baby," I said with a smile as she slowly moved towards my present, "I didn't know what you wanted to name the baby so I left it blank. I can fill it in later."

She stopped infront of the newly built shrine and said, "You built this...for me?"

She didn't look but I nodded, after which she almost instantly dropped to her knees and began to cry and prey. My smile fadded and I began to prey along with her. After about thirty minutes I stopped, but Sanae continued on. I still sat with her and eventually gave her my coat as it began to get cold. Sanae eventually fell asleep like that and I picked her up and took her inside. I placed her on her bed and I went to my seperate futon and fell into a deep sleep.

The next day, Sanae wasn't in her bed. I found her outside, praying to the amenushi and their child again.

---------Late Winter--------

I was sitting on a small hill, drinking water from a small container. It was beginning to get warmer and the snow was already melting, but the flowers were far from bloom. Patches of green grass began to appear from the white of snow and I always liked the change of seasons, probably why I can never pick a favorite season when asked.

I looked over my shoulder and saw the pile of wood that was destined to warm my home tonight, sitting a few feet away from me. I gave a sigh and knew I had to get back to Sanae. I was always worrying about her and even more so now. Last week I woke in the middle of the night and discovered her missing. I searched frantically for her and found her hours later by the river. I was afraid that she might be suicidal or something, but when I got to her she said that she was only thinking and didn't mean to scare me.

I shook myself from the memory and with wood in hand, I went home. The village was awfully quite and it bothered me on some level while on another it kind of calmed me. My feet crunched the small amounts of snow that was left as I reached my home. I noticed that the door was slightly ajar and I began to worry.

I slowly walked up to the door and peered through. Sanae was in there and I was overcome with relief, but it was soon replaced with an interest in what she was doing. She was infront of her mirror and was brushing her hair with her comb. She hasn't done this since she returned to the village. She wouldn't touch the things and now she was using them. Her comb strokes were slow and hesitant. Her face was unsure about what she was doing.

I don't know what compelled me but I dropped the wood a entered the small house in a single swift move. Sanae quickly tried to hid what she was doing.

"R-Rikichi!" She stuttered, "Is something the matter?"

I move towards her like a predator hunting his prey. I stop just infront of her and drop to my knees. I was still for a moment and then in a rush, I embraced her in a hug. She was frightfully confused.

"W-what are you doing!" She said, "R-Rikichi what's the matter!"

"I'm sorry," He said as he pulled away and gazed into her eyes, "I guess I got a head of myself."

"What are you talking about?"

"Why were you combing your hair with that comb? Why were using the mirror I bought you so many years ago?" Sanae's eyes began to water. "Because you want to remember what we felt for each other and if I'm wrong and we never get to be together again then atleast know That I will always be there for you. We are a team now."

He hugged her again, softer this time, and surprisingly.... she hugged back.

--------Early Spring--------

I sat next to Sanae and preyed with her to the amenushi and their unborn child. It had been six years since Sanae return to the village and to me and I reflected on how my life has changed. Amazingly, she was the first to finish today, usually I would be done first and she would follow after a few more minutes. I looked at her with awe and realized how much more beautiful she was in the spring light. She looked at the memorials with a dim smile on her face and I couldn't help but notice how she radiated with beauty.

"Do you mind if I ask?" I began and she looked at me, "I always wondered what you asked of them, Amenushi and the baby, of course."

"Well," She began her reply as she brushed her dark hair from her face, her smile still not wavering, " Lately I don't ask for much, instead I thank them for allowing me and you to have a happy life together."

Her gazed turned to me but I was taken back, a bit. I didn't expect that answer. The look of dumbfoundedness was soon replaced with a warm smile that mimiced hers.

"Mama! papa!" a voice called and we both looked at it's source. A young brown haird boy of five years of age with a large smile on his face, a gap where a tooth once stood was clearly visible. He was our son, Gorobei, here to hurry us to the first day of planting. "Come on slow pokes or we'll be late!"

"Of course," Sanae replied. I stood up and grabbed her hand, as she placed her other hand on her swelling belly from the next child to come, and I helped her up. We walked over and soon joined our son. He grabbed my hand and then Sanae's and the three of us began to walk towards the fields, Gorobei began to sing a song. It was a childrens song, one filled with joy and happiness.

Sanae would most likely not take part in the planting this year and will probably watch or play with the children. Gorobei still had sometime before he would participate in farming, so it was just me this year, but I knew that I would have these two to support me . I glanced over to my wife and suddenly realized that Sanae was smiling at me and that warmed my heart. I looked down at Gorobei and began to sing along with him as he mocks my poor singing skills. The three of us laugh and walk hand in hand towards the fields.

Author's notes: Samurai 7 has been my latest anime venture and I'm proud to give my approval. Despite the fact that I could go into other aspects, like my favorite character Kikuchiyo or the love triangle between Kirara, Kambei, and Katsushiro, I decided to write on these two.


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